crazy with Saundra it was none of her
concern.
And yet, at their last meeting on the day of the office
move, it had seemed that something had sparked again between them. She’d
half-expected him to call her after that, maybe even ask her out. But in the
two weeks since then he’d kept his distance. She knew he had his hands full
training the new IT guy and troubleshooting move-related network issues. Maybe
he had just been too busy.
Or maybe he had simply lost interest.
Funny, but the opposite seemed to have happened to her. The
longer she toyed with the idea of being with Ray, of being intimate with him,
the more the notion occupied her thoughts and fantasies. Sometimes there was
just herself and Ray, and sometimes a second man joined them. Just the thought
of her favorite daydream made her body go all oozy.
Steadying herself against the table, she forced her
attention back to the party. Her eyes focused on the wealth of goodies spread
before her. To her embarrassment, she discovered she’d already put almost a
dozen little cream filled pastry puffs on her plate. How had that happened? A
big smear of the white stuff had gotten on her thumb. She licked it away.
“That looks delicious.”
Even before she turned around, Amber knew whose deep, sexy
voice that was at her shoulder. Her breath hitched. When she let her eyes move
up to Ray’s face, he was wearing a teasing grin. He smelled of her favorite
Polo cologne, and his proximity caused a whole new commotion in her midsection.
“Hi, Ray.” Much to her dismay, her voice came out all
breathy. She probably sounded as shook up as she felt.
Now she saw that he wasn’t alone. Behind Ray stood his
cousin, Cal. He had cleaned up nicely for the occasion and was better looking
than she remembered, with his dark eyes, broad shoulders, and big, rawboned
hands. He had a shy but hopeful smile plastered on his face.
“You remember my cousin? Cal, this is Saundra’s talented and
gorgeous admin assistant, Amber Jackson.”
Amber felt herself blush as Cal nodded at her. Had Ray told
his cousin about her book collection? Or about them making out? Of course he
had. Men did that, didn’t they? God, she wanted to die.
“Hi. Sorry again about scaring you that time.” He shuffled
his feet a little as he spoke and his eyes didn’t quite meet hers before
shifting away. He was obviously painfully shy. It must be hard on him to be
here in this room full of strangers, Amber thought. She gave him an especially
friendly smile.
“You’re forgiven. Nice to officially meet you, Cal.” Amber
set her glass down and held out her hand toward him. He took it somewhat awkwardly,
but his palm was firm against hers, more substantial than she had expected. As
she took her hand back, she turned toward Ray.
He seemed to be studying her, his dark eyes smoldering with
some unnamed emotion.
“Actually, Ray, I just found out today that I got the
promotion to assistant manager.”
“Really? That’s great. Congratulations, Amber.”
Pleased at his acknowledgement, Amber teased back. “Why
thank you. Just think, if you were staying at Crescent, I’d be your immediate
supervisor. Are you sure you aren’t having second thoughts about leaving?”
“Well, intriguing as that scenario would be, I’m fully
committed at Gamble.” His eyes roved over her. “But if I were going to
have any second thoughts about leaving, it would be because of how hot you look
in that dress.”
Whoa! Where had that sudden rush of heat come from? Amber
bit back a nervous giggle. Was it the close warmth of his body or the frank
admiration in his gaze that made her feel like the room’s thermostat had
suddenly gone haywire? Or maybe she should have stopped at just one glass of
champagne? Her irritation at Dinitra had made it too easy to fill her glass a
second and third time. She took a half step back. Immediately, his gaze
sharpened. He leaned in close, his lips almost touching her ear.
“You look fantastic
concern.
And yet, at their last meeting on the day of the office
move, it had seemed that something had sparked again between them. She’d
half-expected him to call her after that, maybe even ask her out. But in the
two weeks since then he’d kept his distance. She knew he had his hands full
training the new IT guy and troubleshooting move-related network issues. Maybe
he had just been too busy.
Or maybe he had simply lost interest.
Funny, but the opposite seemed to have happened to her. The
longer she toyed with the idea of being with Ray, of being intimate with him,
the more the notion occupied her thoughts and fantasies. Sometimes there was
just herself and Ray, and sometimes a second man joined them. Just the thought
of her favorite daydream made her body go all oozy.
Steadying herself against the table, she forced her
attention back to the party. Her eyes focused on the wealth of goodies spread
before her. To her embarrassment, she discovered she’d already put almost a
dozen little cream filled pastry puffs on her plate. How had that happened? A
big smear of the white stuff had gotten on her thumb. She licked it away.
“That looks delicious.”
Even before she turned around, Amber knew whose deep, sexy
voice that was at her shoulder. Her breath hitched. When she let her eyes move
up to Ray’s face, he was wearing a teasing grin. He smelled of her favorite
Polo cologne, and his proximity caused a whole new commotion in her midsection.
“Hi, Ray.” Much to her dismay, her voice came out all
breathy. She probably sounded as shook up as she felt.
Now she saw that he wasn’t alone. Behind Ray stood his
cousin, Cal. He had cleaned up nicely for the occasion and was better looking
than she remembered, with his dark eyes, broad shoulders, and big, rawboned
hands. He had a shy but hopeful smile plastered on his face.
“You remember my cousin? Cal, this is Saundra’s talented and
gorgeous admin assistant, Amber Jackson.”
Amber felt herself blush as Cal nodded at her. Had Ray told
his cousin about her book collection? Or about them making out? Of course he
had. Men did that, didn’t they? God, she wanted to die.
“Hi. Sorry again about scaring you that time.” He shuffled
his feet a little as he spoke and his eyes didn’t quite meet hers before
shifting away. He was obviously painfully shy. It must be hard on him to be
here in this room full of strangers, Amber thought. She gave him an especially
friendly smile.
“You’re forgiven. Nice to officially meet you, Cal.” Amber
set her glass down and held out her hand toward him. He took it somewhat awkwardly,
but his palm was firm against hers, more substantial than she had expected. As
she took her hand back, she turned toward Ray.
He seemed to be studying her, his dark eyes smoldering with
some unnamed emotion.
“Actually, Ray, I just found out today that I got the
promotion to assistant manager.”
“Really? That’s great. Congratulations, Amber.”
Pleased at his acknowledgement, Amber teased back. “Why
thank you. Just think, if you were staying at Crescent, I’d be your immediate
supervisor. Are you sure you aren’t having second thoughts about leaving?”
“Well, intriguing as that scenario would be, I’m fully
committed at Gamble.” His eyes roved over her. “But if I were going to
have any second thoughts about leaving, it would be because of how hot you look
in that dress.”
Whoa! Where had that sudden rush of heat come from? Amber
bit back a nervous giggle. Was it the close warmth of his body or the frank
admiration in his gaze that made her feel like the room’s thermostat had
suddenly gone haywire? Or maybe she should have stopped at just one glass of
champagne? Her irritation at Dinitra had made it too easy to fill her glass a
second and third time. She took a half step back. Immediately, his gaze
sharpened. He leaned in close, his lips almost touching her ear.
“You look fantastic
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